Method of and tool for applying bail ears to sheet metal



June 28, 1932. H. SEBELL 1,865,144

METHOD OF AND TOOL FOR APPLYING BAIL EARS TO SHEET METAL ,Filed Feb. 1,1950 Fig-3 Fig.2.

26 m 1596 14 m5 6 m s I r 4 I" 7 lnvenTor. Harry 8 shall Patented June28, 1932 v NITED STATES ATNT OFFICE HARRY SEBELL, OF BOSTON,MASSACHU$ETTS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF "IQ ARTHUR H. PARKER, 0F LEXINGTON,MASSACHUSETTS METHOD OF AND TOOL FOR APPLYING- BAIL EARS TQ SHEET METALApplication filed February 1, 1930. Serial Ito. MEAN.

This invention relates to the securing of a annular rib formed in thesheet metal and bail ear to the sheet metal which forms the side wallsof a pail or Container and is in the nature of an improvement on themethod and tool shown in my co-pending application Serial lllo. 416,521,filed December 26, 1929.

ln said application is described a method ot applying an ear forv a hailof a pail or other container which consists in forming an annular orcircular rib in the metal which constitutes the side wall of the pail,placing the cup-shaped ear member within said rib and then acting on theexterior of the rib to reduce its diameter and fold it over theperiphery ot the ear thereby locking the ear in place. In the device ofsaid application this folding of the rib over the periphery of the.

ear was accomplished by applying a rolling pressure through balls to theexterior of the rib, the balls rotating about the rib. and at the sametime having a movement relative to the rib parallel to the axis'of theear thereby to gradually reduce the diameter of the rib and told it overthe edge of the ear.

In accordance with the present invention this reduction or the diameterof the rib by t'll dtl applied thereto;

which it is folded; over the edge of the ear is accomplished by givingthe balls a radial movement inwardly as the spinning operation iscarried out, this procedure resulting in more effectively reducing thediameter of the rib and locking it over the edge of the ear than it theballs had no radial movement. ln order to give an understanding of theinvention l have illustrated in the drawing a selected embodimentthereof which will now be described atter which the novel features willbe pointed out in the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container in the form of a pail havingmy improved ear j Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional viewthrough the ear showing the bail at tached thereto;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a tool embodying my present invention andshowing how it operates on the annu ar rib to fold the latter over theedge of the ear Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the ready toreceive the ear;

Fig. 5is a sectional view of the tool shown in Fig. 3 and showing theposition of the parts before it is applied to the ear.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan View of Fig. 5

Figs. 7. 8 and 9 are enlarged fragmentary views illustrating theoperation of spinnin the rib over the periphery out the ear, Fig.illustrating the beginning of the spinningoperation which is alsoillustrated in Fig. 3., Fig. 8 illustrating the intermediate stage andFig. 9 the final stage.

Fig. 1 illustrates a container 1 in the form of a pail which is providedwith a bail 2 and an ear 3 to receive the end of the bail and to whichthe bail ispivoted. This car 3 is a circular dish-shaped member which issecured to the side wall 4 of the pail l by formin in the material ofthe wall 4 an annular fol 5 which overlies the periphery 6 of the ear 3.Said ear has the usual ball-receiving opening 7 in which the end 8 ofthe bail 2 is received.

The present invention relates to a novel method of forming the fold 5over' the periphery 6 of the ear. The first step in the operation is.toform anannular rib 9 in the material t constituting the side wall of thepail l as shown-in Fig. 4 and this rib 9 may be formed in the material 4either before it is made into a pail or after the pail has been made.

Tn either event, after the rib Q'has been produced then the ear member 3is placed within the rib asshown in Fig. 3 and the rib is spun over theperiphery of the ear thereby locking the ear to the material 4%.

This spinning of the rib over the periphery of the ear is accomplishedby a two-stage operation somewhat similar to that illustrated anddescribed in my co-pending application the first stage bein that ofreducing the diameter of the rib an partially folding it over theperipheryfi' of the ear and the second stage being the flattening of thefolded-over rib down againstthe periphery of the ear. In thusspinningthe rib over the periphery of the ear I propose to employ arality of balls adapte rotary tool which is provided with ,a pluto acton the outer wall of the rib, said balls not only rotating around theouter wall of the rib but also having an inward radial movement whichresults in reducing the diameter of the rib and in effectively spinningthe rib over the edge of the ear.

Following the operation of the balls in thus reducing the diameter ofthe rib is the flattening of the peak of the rib against the peripheryof the ear as described in the abovementioned application.

The tool herein illustrated by which the rib is thus spun over the edgeof the ear and flattened thereagainst is indicated generally at 10 andit comprises a tool body having the outer section 11 and the innerpresser section 12 movable axially of the outer section 11.

Situated within the presser section 12 is a ball holder member 13 whichis provided with recesses 14 to receive the balls 15 that perform thespinning operation and other recesses 16 to receive rolls 17 thatperform the flattening operation.

The presser member 12 is formed with a surface 19 against which theballs rest and the outer member 11 is formed with an annular cylindricalwall 20 and a conical wall 21 extending inwardly and downwardly from thewall 20. The inclined wall 21 serves to give the balls their inwardradial movement during the spinning operation as will be presentldescribed.

sltuated axially of the ball-holding member 13 is a hold-down pin 22which serves to hold the ear 3 in place while the rib 9 is being spunover the edge thereof. This pin 22 is provided with a collar. 23 adaptedto engage the back side of the stem portion of the ball holder and saidcollar is engaged by a spring 24 which is confined in a recess 25 in thepresser member 12.

Fig. 5 shows the parts in their normal position when the tool is notbeing used, the expansion of the spring 25 at such times forcing theball holder 13 forwardly so that the balls 15 and rolls 17 are at thelower end of the inclined face 21. In using the tool the ear 3 is firstplaced within the rib 9 as shown in Fig. 3 and the tool is then placedover the rib and ear.

The balls 15 engage the outer face of th rib and as the face 26 of thetoolis brought against the material 4 the balls 15 and ball carrier 13will be forced backwardly against the action of the spring 25 into theposition shown in Fig. 3. a

At this time the balls are resting on the outer Wall of the rib at apoint below the peak of the rib as seen in Figs. 3 and 7 and they arealso engaging the end wall 19 of sure is applied to the presser member12.

The rotation of the tool causes the balls to travel around the outerface of the rib 9 and the pressure against the presser member 12 causesthe balls to apply pressure to the rib 9 which reduces the diameter ofthe rib and spins the peak thereof inwardly.

As the spinning operation continues the presser member 12 travelsaxially of the outer member 11 thereby forcing the balls 15 against anddownwardly along the inclined surface 21. This causes the balls to havean inward radial movement as well as a downward movement and thesecontinued movements serve to contract the diameter of the rib 9 and bendthe peak thereof somewhat over the edge 6 of the ear 3. This downwardand inward movement of the balls continues until they reach the positionshown by the dotted lines Fig. 9.

During the latter part of the spinning operation by the balls the rolls17 engage the peak of the rib 9 after it has been partially spun overthe edge of the ear thereby flattening said peak down against the edgeof the ear and forming the fold 5 of the metal which has the firminterlock with the edge 6 of said ear. These rolls 17 have a diameterslightly less than that of the balls but they travel on the same surface19 of the presser member. Hence the rolls do not engage the rib untilthe latter has been reduced somewhat in diameter and partially bent overthe edge 6 of the ear.

Fig. 8 shows approximately the position of the balls 15 and thecondition of the rib 9 when the rolls begin to operate on said rib andduring the final downward and inward movement of the balls the rollswork on the peak of the rib and thus form the latter into the fold 5which firmly embraces the edge of the ear.

By giving the rolls the inward movement occasioned by the inclined walls21 as well as the downward movement it is possible to use a shallowerrib 9 or one of less height and yet produce a firm union between the earand the material 4 than would be the case if the balls had no inwardradial movement during the spinning operation. Such inward movementworks the material of the rib inwardly from the outer face and thusreduces the diameter of the rib to a greater extent than if the ballshad no such inward radial movement. Because of this greater reduction inthe diameter of the rib during the spin ning operation a firmer unionbetween the ear and the material 4 may be made with a rib having alesser height or dimension perpendicular to the material 4.

In carrying out the above operations practically it is found that thereis less liability of cracking or breaking the metal in making a rib oflesser height than in making a deeper rib and, therefore, the inventionof this application is of special advantage in attaching an ear to acontainer that is to be hermetis cally sealed.

I claim:

1. The method of applying an ear member to sheet metal to form an'earfor a bail which consists in forming an annular rib in said sheet metal,placing an ear member within said rib, applying a rolling pressurethrough balls to the outer face of the rib to reduce the diameterthereof, and simultaneously causing "the balls to move inwardly in aradial direction thereby to reduce the diameter of the rib and fold itpartially over the edge of the ear member and then applying a pressureto the partially-folded rib to flatten it against the periphery of theear.

2. A tool for attaching an ear member to sheet metal by folding anannular rib over the edges of said ear member, said tool comprising anouter member, an inner presser member movable axially of the outermember, said outer member having a ball race provided with a circularwall and with a downwardly and inwardly extended wall and the pressermember being provided with a ball race at its end, a ball holder havingball-receiving recesses, balls in said recesses, said balls engaging theraces of the .presser member and outer member respectively, movement ofthe presser member axially of the outer member while the tool isrotating serving to press the balls against the outer face of theannular rib and simultaneously cause said balls to travel inwardly in aradial direction thereby reducing the diameter of the rib and folding itover the edge of the ear member.

3. A tool for securing an ear member to sheet metal by folding anannular rib over the periphery of the ear member, said tool comprising arotatable tool body, a plurality of balls carried thereby to act on theouter face of said rib as the tool rotates, means operative uponapplication of pressure to the tool body to cause the balls to pressagainst the outer face of the rib during the rotation of said tool bodyand also to cause the balls to move inwardly radially as they operate onsaid outerface, whereby the rib is reduced in diameter and folded overthe peripheral edge of the ear member.

41:. A tool for securing an ear member to sheet metal by folding anannular rib over the periphery of the ear member, said tool comprising arotatable tool body, a plurality of balls carried thereby to act on theouter face of said rib as the tool rotates, means to press the ballsagainst the outer face of the rib during the rotation of the tool bodyand rolling means to act on the folded rib to flatten it'against saidedge.

5. A tool for securing an ear member to sheet metal by foldin an annularrib over the peripheral edge '0 the ear member, said tool comprising arotatable tool body, a plurality of balls carried thereby to act on theouter face of said rib as the tool body rotates and pressure is appliedthereto, means to cause the balls to move inwardly radially during theirrolling engagement under pressure with the outer face of said rib,whereby the rib is reduced in diameter and partially folded over theperipheral edge of the ear member, and rolls carried by said tool bodyengaging the partially-folded rib and operating to flatten said ribagainst said periph eral edge.

6. A tool for securing an .ear member to sheet metal by folding anannular rib formed on the sheet metal over the peripheral edge ofthe'ear member, said tool comprising a rotatable tool body formed with aball race provided with an exterior wall having a cylindrical portionand an inwardly-inclined portion, a plurality of balls operating in saidball race and adapted to engage the outer face of said rib as the toolrotates, means to apply pressure to said balls during their engagementwith said outer face to force the balls against said inwardly-inclinedportion of the outer. wall of the ball race thereby to cause the ballsto move inwardly radially as they I rotate, whereby the rib is deformedby being reduced in diameter and bent over the peripheral edge of theear member.

7. A tool for securing an ear member tosheet metal .byfolding an annularrib formed on the sheet metal over the peripheral edge of the earmember, said tool comprising a rotatable tool body formed with a ballrace provided with an exterior wall having a cylindrical portion and aninwardly-inclined portion, a plurality of balls operating in said ballrace and adapted to engage the outer face of said rib as the toolrotates,

means to apply pressure to said balls during rib against said peripheraledge.

8.- A tool for attaching an ear member to sheet metal by folding anannular rib over the edges of said ear member, said tool comprising anouter member, an inner presser member movable axially of the outermember, said outer member having a ball race provided with a circularwall and with a downwardly and inwardly extended wall and the pressermember being provided with a ball race at its end, a ball holder havingballreceiving recesses, balls in said recesses, said balls engaging theraces of the presser member and outer member respectively, movement ofthe presser member axially of the outer member while the tool isrotating serving to press the balls against the outer face of theannular rib and simultanenously causing said balls to travel inwardly ina radial direction thereby reducing the diameter of the rib and foldingit over the edge of the ear member, and rollers carried by said ballholder to act on said rib after it is thus folded over the edge of theear member and flatten said rib against said edge.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HARRY SEBELL.

